Outback Steakhouse and Carrabba's Italian Grill are coming to River City Marketplace on Jacksonville's Northside.

With building permits issued last week, work is beginning on the restaurants, both of which are owned by Tampa-based parent company Bloomin' Brands. The corporate-owned restaurants will occupy adjoining outparcel lots near Aloft Hotel, Panda Express, Pollo Tropical and more, all on the north side of the sprawling regional retail center.

Permits show that Carrabba's Italian Grill plans a 6,163-square-foot restaurant at 791 Skymarks Drive; Outback Steakhouse plans a 5,715-square-foot restaurant at 795 Skymarks Drive. Construction estimates for the projects are valued at $375,000 and $325,000 respectively.

The planned restaurants join others under construction nearby, including BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse and Newk's Eatery across the street, at the new Parkway Shops; and Tijuana Flats at 651 Nautica Drive.

Outback and Carrabba's each currently operate five restaurants in the Jacksonville area.

Services are Friday for 'Bobby' Nakajima

Funeral services are scheduled for Friday for Masahiro "Bobby" Nakajima, the well-known Jacksonville Beach restaurateur whose Chizu Japanese Steakhouse was a Beaches fixture for nearly three decades.

Nakajima died Friday after a long illness. He was 63.

Nakajima and Cindy Ramalho opened Chizu at 1227 Third St. S. in 1983, bringing sushi and other Japanese fare to the Beaches. After nearly 27 years on Third Street, they moved the restaurant to Penman Road in July 2010. It closed a year later.

On Chizu's Facebook page, friends, patrons and former employees were quick to post tributes to and stories about Nakajima, known for singing "The Birthday Song" to customers and employees celebrating a birthday at the restaurant.

Friend John Wolf recounted the time when a TV crew mistook Nakajima for actor Jackie Chan at the 1999 Miss Universe pageant, which the two had attended. Wolf shared a video from the broadcast where a camera on a boom swept up an aisle and into the audience to focus on Nakajima just before a commercial break.

According to Wolf's post, that wasn't the only time Nakajima was mistaken for Chan.

"When we landed in Trinidad, the kids went crazy asking Bobby for his autograph. … [W]e found out they thought he was Jackie, everywhere we went, everyone wanted Jackie's autograph. Bobby's honestly prevailed until I convinced him he would make a lot of kids happy if he just fibbed a little. He was a special person."

Others, too, shared their memories.

Mikey Tyburczy: While working [at Chizu], the birthday song was such an annoyance. [B]ut now I can, and will forever, remember it word by word in his singing voice and let it bring the same smile to my face as it did to him and the people to whom he sang it.

David Rogers: Thanks Bobby for providing wonderful service and an establishment that allowed my awesome sister and brother-in-law to meet. ... Many memories are owed to Bobby, and I thank you for creating such an environment. You are loved and will be missed. Thank you so much.

Patrick Riley: Bobby, you were a good man. Thank you for taking care of both Melissa and myself when times were tough. At the height of Chizu, you ran not only a successful business, but a loving extended family. You will never be forgotten as you were a big part in our lives.

Liz Nader: You will never be forgotten, Bobby. Thank you for singing to me on every birthday and making my 6 years as a Chizu employee a time I will always cherish.

Shawn Fallon: Chizu was a Friday night staple growing up, and when I found out I shared the same birthday as Bobby it made it all the more reason to make Chizu my birthday restaurant for all times. Bobby thank you for the amazing memories you will be missed!

According to an obituary on Jacksonville.com, services for Nakajima will be 6 p.m. Friday at First Baptist Church of Jacksonville Beach, 324 Fifth St. N. Attendees are encouraged to bring a photo or other memento of Nakajima to celebrate his life.

Pele's Wood Fire does well in international contest

Riverside restaurant Pele's Wood Fire is celebrating two of its own, following a successful showing in last week's International Pizza Challenge at the 2013 Pizza Expo in Las Vegas, the largest annual event of its kind in the world.

Managing partner Matt Tierney won third place in the American-Pan division for his sausage pizza. And head pizzaiolo Chris Calloway won second place in the Italian division for his pizza - with rosemary-infused garlic ricotta, pork belly, truffle mushroom medley, fontina, truffle vinaigrette arugula salad and fried garlic chips with lemon juice.

Though there's no immediate plans to add Tierney's pan pizza to the menu, Pele's fans will soon be able to sample Calloway's winning pizza. Just look for "The Calloway" on an upcoming menu update.

Pele's Wood Fire is located at 2665 Park St.

Marco's Pizza plans second location

Two months after opening its first Jacksonville restaurant, Marco's Pizza is beginning work on a second area location.

Building permits issued recently show that the Toledo, Ohio-based chain plans a new 6,750-square-foot restaurant at 5324 Blanding Blvd., just north of 103rd Street.

The location will be the second in Jacksonville for franchise owner Kirk Luchman, who opened his first Marco's Pizza in January at 8415 Cheswick Oak Ave., in the Winn-Dixie-anchored retail center off of Argyle Forest Boulevard. The Financial News & Daily Record previously reported that Luchman - a former Florida State and Jacksonville Barracudas basketball player - plans to open as many as 34 locations in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia in the next decade.

At Marco's, customers can build their own pizzas, choosing from three crusts - classic, crispy thin or deep pan - using fresh dough made in house daily. Or they can choose from six specialty pizzas - Chicken Fresco, Hawaiian Chicken, White Cheezy, Garden, Deluxe Uno and Meat Supremo. Also on the menu are baked subs, salads and other items.

Marco's Pizza has more than 330 stores in 29 states, including Florida, where it operates nearly 40 restaurants in the Panhandle, Central Florida, South Florida and now North Florida.

McDonald's unveils Premium McWrap

Snack Wraps - made with crispy or grilled chicken, bacon or beef - have been a fixture on most McDonald's menus since 2006. McDonald's website lists 10 varieties of mini wraps, marketing them as an afternoon snack or a meal addition.

This week, however, the wrap gets top billing as the nation's No. 1 fast-food burger chain introduces to its permanent menu the meal-size Premium McWrap, made with grilled or crispy chicken, spring greens and shredded lettuce, and served in a warm tortilla wrap. The new wraps are available in three flavors:

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